Although the economic downturn and the war in Iraq may be dominating political debates in the run-up to November's presidential election, moral issues remain fixtures of political discourse. We asked PollingPoint respondents for their views on a number of questions concerning gay rights.

People with gay acquaintances were more likely to be accepting of homosexuality.

Do you think being gay is morally wrong?

There was little consensus on the determinants of sexual orientation.

Do you think that sexual orientation (e.g. whether a person is homosexual) is genetically determined?

Do you think that people ever change sexual orientation after they have reached maturity?

There were predictable partisan splits on questions of gay rights, although Republicans tended to be more ambivalent than Democrats toward these issues.

Which comes closest to your view?

Should gay couples be permitted to adopt children?

Should homosexuals be permitted to teach in public schools?

Do you think the U.S. military should exclude homosexuals from serving?

None of the major religious groups stood out among the others as strongly in favor of amending the constitution to prohibit gay marriage. People with no religious preference were the most likely to strongy oppose this amendment.

Are you in favor of an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that legally defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman?